The present invention relates to a gear shift lever incorporating a switch for operating a clutch of a vehicle transmission.
A vehicle transmission with an automatic clutch is known in which for gear shifting the clutch is disengaged with the assistance of a vacuum of a source of vacuum, via a control valve having a solenoid actuated clutch release valve and a clutch servo. When a knob of a gear shift lever is manipulated to urge the gear shift lever to any one the shift positions, a switch associated with the gear shift lever is closed to energize the solenoid for the clutch release valve. The clutch release valve then connects the clutch servo to the source of vacuum to disengage the clutch so as to disconnect a gear box from the engine drive.
The gear box in the known vehicle transmission can be swiftly shifted into any one of the forward gears with the help of synchronizing means, but is not provided with any synchronizing means for enabling a swift shift to the reverse. Therefore, it is necessary when engaging the gears for the reverse to disengage the clutch earlier than usual. If this is not done, the gears for reverse are likely to grind with each other and in excessive cases the teeth of the gears will be damaged.